A Rohirrim's Story
by VladislavRaginis
Summary: A young Rohirrim boy must survive through the chaos and evil that roams his once peaceful home.
1. The Beginning

**Chapter 1:****The Beginning**

**I don't own LoTR.**

The Beginning

All had gone quiet. Not a sound was heard. A man paced back and forth, wringing his hands nervously in front of a door.

The man was named Deoror. At age 21, Deoror was of medium build with tanned skin and brown eyes. His hair was shoulder length and straight. He worked as a merchant in one of the caravans that went between Rohan and Gondor. He was the husband to Titith. That is what brought him here, walking back and forth in front of a door.

Behind him was his best friend Dan. Dan was only four years older than Deoror. He had grown up with Dan as his neighbor and the two had grown close. Now he stood nearby and watched as Deoror fidgeted nervously with the edge if his shirt. Just as he was starting to worry for his younger friend, a newborn's wail broke the silence. Dan gave a sigh of relief as his friend let out a held breath and was admitted into the room.

**And that's the first chapter. I've already got multiple other chapters done and ready to upload.**


	2. The Start of a Friendship

**Chapter 2:****The Start of a ****Friendship**

**I don't own LoTR.**

I made my way to the farm that Dan owned. It was still dark. The cold chill of night was in the air. I shivered and paused for a moment. Setting down my lamp I rubbed my hands together. I picked up the lamp and continued on my way. The farm was a way outside of Edoras which made it a long journey for me. The only mounts my family owned were used in my father's caravan. Because of this, I had to leave relatively early in the morning to reach my destination. It would take at least an hour or two to reach the farm and I needed to be there to feed the animals. Being a stable hand to Dan was an _interesting_ experience for lack of better word. Many times I would just stay there when father was traveling. When he returned I would stay at the house in Edoras. Of course, this left me with quite the walk to reach my place of "work". At the age of fourteen this was not easy but it was well worth it.

I love working where I did. Father had asked Dan years ago if I could stay there when he was working and trading wherever his travels took him. I would help out on the farm when I could, feeding and taking care of the animals. Dan's wife would teach me certain things such as reading and writing. In the end Dan had become a sort of Uncle to me. I was ripped out of my thoughts rather painfully as I tripped over a stone and stumbled forward.

I pushed myself up from the kneeling position I found myself in and brushed myself off. I was almost to the farm and could see it on the horizon. The sun had just started to peek over the horizon. I sped up to a jog. As I got closer I noticed the barn door was open and a light shone out of it. It was light enough to see without a lamp now so I blew out the light and hung it on the pole outside the house. I spun around and began walking towards the barn. Before I reached it Fastere exited.

Fastere was Dan's oldest son. He was nineteen with sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He was tanned from working outdoors all day. He a splitting image of his father. He came over to me. We greeted each other.

"Come on inside Lyt." He said, motioning towards the house. I raised an eyebrow but followed anyway. Entering I sat down on a chair and looked at him questioningly.

"Why aren't we out there working with the horses?" I asked.

"Don't you remember the date?

"January 17th 3016." I listed, confused for a moment. He continued looking at me.

"Happy Birthday Lyt!" a jovial call came from outside. I blinked and then realization came to me. I had forgotten all about today.

"Hold on for a second. There. Follow me." Fastere said as he wrapped a cloth around my eyes. Not able to do much else I allowed myself to be led outside. Keeping my footing was difficult without the ability to see. I felt myself be stopped and Fastere's strong grasp left my shoulder. Hands fumbled at the back of my head and untied the makeshift blindfold. As it left my line of sight a loud chorus echoed Dan's earlier cry of 'Happy Birthday'. I blinked in the brightness and let my vision adjust. I was rendered inaudible.

"Here Lyt, take this." Dan whispered before jogging off. I looked down and saw that I was holding an apple. I raised an eyebrow. The unmistakable neigh of a horse was clearly heard. A smile made its way to my face.

It was a hazel brown. Its mane was a dark brown as was its tail. Dan lead it my direction before handing me the lead. Taking the apple I held it out. The steed sniffed before accepting the offer.

"His name is Snawfyr. He's 2 years old and hasn't been broken in yet. He's yours now. Happy 14th Lyt." He tells me. Snawfyr. Rohirric for Snowfire. I smiled and continued to stroke his head. I managed to thank Dan and the farmer moves off, leaving me alone with the horse. It was the best day I'd had for a long time.

My thoughts were interrupted as Snawfyr delivered a playful but forceful nudge to my chest. The unexpected force sent me back a few steps. I release a chuckle at the acts as I regain footing. I decided to spend the day with him.

Training him was an interesting experience to say the least. Snawfyr had a habit of ignoring me. It was both funny and frustrating at the same time. I scratched my head while trying to think of what to do. Trying once more I called his name and, unsurprisingly, he ignored me. Shocker. I paused. Deciding to change strategies, I whistled. Snawfyr's head snapped up from where he had been grazing and he headed toward me at a trot.

"So that's what you respond to. I'll remember that. Let's try this again." I whispered to him as I rubbed his forehead. We did this a few more times. By the end the sun was high in the sky. I realized I'd been out for a while and had probably missed lunch along the way. A small price to pay. Deciding to continue with training, I made my way over to the fence where a saddle had been placed.

The saddle was made of dark brown leather. It showed years of use. I didn't care and neither did Snawfyr as I saddled him. The only thing I got was a snort and a glance that looked almost mischievous in nature. I felt slightly worried at the look but dismissed it. I was confident in my riding skill as Dan and Fastere had taught me at a younger age. It was mostly Dan as Fastere had a habit of getting off task quite easily. The last time he had been allowed to watch was when the horse I had been riding got spooked and I was dismounted. This caused my arm to get a bad slash and scar. Personally I found it cool though Dan did not.

I finally finished adjusting the saddle and mounted. I made sure that I was sitting in a comfortable yet secure position before taking the reins. I decided to start slowly and gave Snawfyr a quick and light squeeze. He began forward. I smiled. Things were going better than planned. I spoke to soon. As soon as we began to pick up speed he stopped. Hard and abrupt. Had I not been in such a secure position I would have been dismounted. As I was secured I only lurched forward and felt a large amount of shock and surprise. The horse in question let loose what I assumed was the horse equivalent to a snicker. I glared at him and tried to be angry. The key word was tried.

The rest of the day passed like this. All too soon the sun was setting and it was time to head home. Once again I was walking in the dark. It wasn't the safest time but it certainly was the quickest. There would be no one in my way as I walked home. As I was about to leave Dan pulled me aside.

"It's not safe walking home without a weapon. Here, take this. You're old enough to use it without stabbing yourself. When you next return we'll start training you with different weapons to see which fit you. Until then, keep this with you." He said as he handed me a dagger. It was fifteen inches total in length. The blade was ten of those fifteen inches with the hilt being the remaining five. It was made of iron and, though a little rusted, would still serve me well in a battle. I sincerely hoped that it would not come to that.

Thanking Dan I put the dagger on my belt in a position where it could be easily reached. I decided against riding home as Snawfyr and I were still working out some bumps in our relationship. Dreading the walk home I lit the lamp and began my way home.

The moon was high in the sky when I unlocked the door and slipped in. I really wasn't in the mood to talk with my father. We didn't have the best relationship. After mother had died of disease he had cut himself off from the world. When he finally started interacting with humans he was cold and distant.

I was only six when she passed so I can only remember a little of what she was like. I couldn't remember most of what happened that week as well. I had also been bedridden with the sickness. My younger brother Gavin was only two. He had no memories of her. Father had a chest of some of her belongings in his room which no one was allowed to enter. I didn't see Gavin much as he goes with father on his travels. From what I can tell, he wishes to follow in father's footsteps as a merchant.

I quietly slipped upstairs to the room I shared with Gavin. I managed to open the door without too much noise. I heard a sound from downstairs and paused. Nothing happened. I had no desire to wake up any of the sleeping residents of the house. After a pause I entered the room and shed my coat, boots, and dagger. I laid down on the bed unable to find rest.

Father had been disappointed when he learned that I did not share my brother's desire to continue the family tradition of being merchants. Everyone on his side of the family had been. I couldn't imagine doing such a job for the rest of my life. Instead I wanted to stay and study. I enjoyed reading and learning the history of our country and those surrounding it. Mother always encouraged the behavior. That was the one thing that the two disagreed on. I remember heated arguments on the matter. I always slipped outside when these took place. Deep in memories I never realized I had fallen asleep.


	3. Falling Out

**Chapter 3:Falling Out**

**I don't own LoTR.**

I woke the next morning. It was later than I would usually wake but it was late when I fell asleep. The sun was already high and its rays shone right through the window. Curse the inconsiderate person who designed this. It had to be around ten in the morning. I winced. This would be hard to explain. I could hear the incessant chatter of Gavin and the few worded replies from father. I didn't feel like going downstairs. If I did I knew I'd be bombarded by questions from Gavin and berated for returning late and sleeping in by father. I knew however that I couldn't stay in the room forever.

I quickly dressed, making myself semi presentable. After wiping down my no doubt grungy face I turned to the door. The dagger was sheathed on my belt. Taking a deep breath I strode downstairs into the living room, an air of falsified confidence around me. To tell the truth, I wasn't at all confident. My worries were proved correct when father put down his quill and turned toward me. A scowl was set on his face. Sensing the building tension in the room, Gavin took a quick look before bolting. I met father's glare with my own.

"Lytwig Fletcher Eagleheart." He said. I internally winced at the use of my full name.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Exactly how late were you out last night? Oversleeping isn't like you at all." He said with a seemingly calm tone.

"I set out to return around nine. It's not my fault I can only walk so fast on a dark, bumpy road. If I'd gone faster I would risk injuring myself." I explained. It fell on deaf ears.

"When I let you go to and from Dan's farm on your own accord, I told you that I would allow you to do so unless you gave me a reason to doubt your ability.".

"I" I tried to reason but was interrupted.

"No excuses. I refuse to allow you there. From now on, unless I am away, you will be here helping." He said. My eyes narrowed.

"And you have a way to make me?" I challenged him. That was probably not the best thing to say at the time but I couldn't help myself.

"Maybe if I'd put my foot down earlier, your mother wouldn't have caught that disease. You wouldn't have been outside in those fields and thus not exposed to it." He answered, voice rising steadily. I wasn't done though.

"So you blame me for mother's death. I could've guessed. Well, if you feel that way then you won't stop me from leaving." I replied, my voice matching his. Turning on my heel I stormed upstairs and grabbed a bag.

Taking a quick look around me, I placed my most valued possessions. A small horse figure that I had been given by a soldier I had met, a sketch book I had gotten, and a few other odds and ends. I put the money I had saved in my pocket and put on my hat. I looked around at the large amount of books, I decided I could return for them at another time. Shouldering the bag, I exited the room and swiftly left the house. Tears of anger ran down my face leaving tear stains. I ignored Gavin as he ran after me, shouting for me to stop and come back. I ignored him and, after passing the gate, took off at a run. I made my way to the farm where I had spent most of my life. I reached there around noon, faster than I ever had before.

I slowed down to a walk as I reached the door. I knocked. Titith opened it and, taking one look at my appearance, let me in immediately. She asked what was wrong and I requested to speak to Dan, alone if possible. She went and fetched the farmer and soon arrived with him in tow. His face was one of great worry.

The two of us went into a separate room and I explained the situation. He looked at me and thought for a moment. As he did so, I fidgeted nervously.

"Stay here with us. We won't make you go back if you don't want to. We have a spare room that you can have if you want. I have to go have a talk with your father." He said after a period of time. I nodded and he pointed in the direction of the room. I quietly left. Looking out the window I saw him saddle a horse and take off down the road. I sat down, wondering what the future would hold.


	4. Evacuation

**Chapter 4: Evacuation**

**I don't own LoTR.**

I woke up with a start. The memories were fresh in my mind. It had been three years ago that those events had taken place. Sighing, I rolled out of bed to dress.

I exited the room on one foot, struggling to pull the remaining boot on the other food. Fastere sat at the table, slowly eating a piece of bread. I greeted him. He turned and looked at me, raising and eyebrow.

"It'd be easier to put that boot on if you sat down." He said with slight laughter.

"I'm glad you enjoy my struggle." I shot back with mock hurt. He smirked. Titith looked at us and sighed. I sat in the chair across from Fastere while covering a yawn.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Thank you captain obvious." I replied. He had was wearing a grin. Everyone was in good cheer. That wouldn't last.

"Do you hear that?" Fastere asked as the loud thundering of hooves was heard. Titith stood and peered out the window.

"It's your father. He's riding quite hard." She reported as he came into view. Sure enough, the rider came to a halt and almost ran to the door.

"Boys, go pack a bag for the road. Pack lightly, we want to go as fast as possible." He ordered and turned to his wife to speak to her. Fastere and I made our way to our respective rooms to do as told. An extra pair of clothes, some money, and the wooden horse was all I took. I had my dagger on my belt already. I paused for a moment before putting on the necklace given to me by a good friend. It was a black leather cord with a flat grey stone. On it was the words _min leof mund_. My beloved protector. I smiled slightly at it.

I shook my head and grabbed my bag. Fastere and I nearly hit each other as we went to leave the house. We made it outside to see Dan saddling Fastere's horse, Dunhors. Snawfyr was already saddled and ready. Titith was waiting by Brand, Dan's mount.

We followed Dan as we thundered across the countryside. I realized where we were going. Edoras. I winced. I really did not look forward to arriving at the city. Of course. On horseback the ride to Edoras was significantly shortened. This was extremely evident as we soon arrived. I blinked.

Hundreds of people from all over Rohan had gathered. I spared a sideways glance to Fastere and he returned my confusion. We stopped.

"What's going on here? Why the commotion?" I asked Dan.

"We're evacuating to Helm's Deep. Uruk-Hai are on their way here as we speak. Thousands of them." He said without looking. My heart dropped. Thousands. This wouldn't end well.


	5. Min Leof Mund

**Chapter 4: Min Leof Mund**

**I don't own LoTR.**

It wasn't too long before everyone had set out to the fortress. The going was slow and gave plenty of time to think.

I was only half paying attention to where I was headed. Thankfully I could trust Snawfyr to go in the right direction. Most of the time at least. I was lost in thought. One hand involuntarily went to my necklace as I began to think of that day.

_I was riding across the empty plains. With me I had items I would need for surviving a week. Flint and steel, A bedroll, a coil of rope, and my hunting knife to name a few. I had my dagger on my belt and a bow and quiver slung across my back. I had around two dozen arrows. There was a certain spot that I had in mind for my trip. I had been riding for a good three hours now and still had around five to go. The sun was barely up when I had set out. By now it was almost completely up. It beat down on me. My shirt was soaked with sweat._

_I had slowed down to take a short break and eat something. An apple to be exact. It was around halfway through when I heard it. A loud cry of fear. It was close to my current position. My head snapped around fast enough that I heard a slight snap. I ignored the fact that the rest of my apple was stolen by Snawfyr. I swung myself onto him and slung my bow. Holding onto the reins with one hand and my bow in the other. I could see black smoke rising in the not to far from my current position. _

_I had gotten to the top of the hill when I saw it. What I assumed was a merchant's caravan had been stopped on the road. It was surrounded by men who wore dark colored garments of black, brown, and other nature colors. They wielded short swords and clubs. Bandits. The caravan's guards lay slain on the ground. Breaking out of my shocked daze, I started downhill. Hesitantly I removed my grip from the reins and pulled an arrow out of my quiver. I nocked the arrow and took aim. I let it fly._

_I didn't look to see if I hit my target as I reloaded. I fired again. This one went down instantly, holding his thigh and howling in pain. I ignored it. My next arrow missed, burying itself into the wood of the wagon. I was forced to draw my sword as I drew nearer to the group. Unsheathing it I charged. There were only a few bandits left. I missed as I rode by. Frowning I demounted and attacked on foot. Two bandits closed in. The third ignored his comrades and I and instead advanced on the last wagon. I slashed at the first and he jumped back, a smirk on his face. He lunged forward and I stepped to the side. As I did so I brought the hilt of my sword down on his head, knocking him out. My attention imminently turned to the second. The second faltered for a moment before advancing again. I attacked. My sword swung at his midsection and hit his as he blocked. I he swung towards my head and I ducked down. His attack sent him slightly off balance. I took the chance to attack. As I dealt the killing blow a sharp pain registered in my brain. The third had come up behind me unnoticed and attacked. I spun right and connected my elbow with his jaw. There was enough force behind my strike to cause a snap. I followed up with a slash and he fell to the ground._

_It was by this time that the smell got to me. I hadn't noticed it before as I was occupied but now it hit me in full force. I gagged on the smell of burnt flesh. Remembering the scream I had heard I looked around. I approached the unburnt wagon and stepped up to enter and sheathed my weapon. As I had just pulled myself to the first step something flew out and hit my chest. I gave a small yelp of surprise and fell backwards. I groaned before getting up._

_"I'm not going to hurt you, whoever's in there." I called out. I managed to make it inside without being attacked again. Inside was a girl my age. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. I raised my hands to show I was unarmed. She looked at me suspiciously. She was wearing a simple tan dress and had her hair pulled back. She was holding a thick book and looked ready to throw it at a moment's notice._

_"How do I know this? How do I know you're not one of those savages?" she asked me. I blinked. Never in a million years did I think that I would be mistaken as a bandit._

_"If I were, which I'm not, why would I be having a peaceful," here I paused and eyed the book, "well, relatively peaceful conversation with you?" I asked. She considered my answer for a moment before reluctantly lowering her projectile._

_"You have a point. I apologize for being hostile but I couldn't be sure." She said. I nodded in understanding._

_"Where were you headed? I can take you there if you want. Eiether way, you can't stay here." I asked her, quite awkwardly as well. She looked at me unamused._

_"The unfortunate truth. We were headed to a small village not to far from here. I would appreciate it if you would help me get there. Though before we go, I'd like to know the name of my rescuer." She replied._

_"Very well. I'm Lytwig. It's probably best if we get going. I think I know of where you're talking about." I said as I ran my hand through my hair in attempt to tame it. I exited the wagon and waited. She followed. She brought a small satchel with her. I paid no attention. Quickly mounting Snawfyr I held out my hand. She took it and sat behind me._

_"Ok, let's go." I mumbled to Snawfyr as we started off. The town we would be heading to was, at minimum, a day away. I wasn't exactly excited to but it was the right thing to do._

_ We made camp after a few hours. The sun sunk faster as it was now early winter. I tied Snawfyr's lead to a tree and set up camp. I made the bedroll before going to start a fire. It started after multiple unsuccessful tries. As soon as it was crackling merrily I leaned back against a tree. An awkward silence fell._

_ "I just realized I never got your name." I spoke in hopes to start a conversation. She looked at me for a moment._

_ "I suppose it's only fair, I'm Windfola." She answered. We fell back into and silence. "Did you happen to get hurt during your fight?"._

_ "What? Ah, yes. It's only a scratch." I answered. I had completely forgotten about the wound._

_ "I highly doubt that. Your sleeve is quite bloody."_

_ "Now that you point it out I see what you mean. How about this, you see if you can rest, I'll stand guard and deal with bandaging it." I suggested. There wasn't much to guard against to be honest. The only hostile things I could think of were the insects that were drawn to the fire._

_ "I don't doubt your medical skills but doing such a thing with one hand is not going to end well. Turn around and show me the wound. Also, do me a favor and start boiling some water." She all but ordered me. I felt shocked for a moment before doing so in confusion. The level of awkwardness skyrocketed. I tossed her the medical bag and put some water to boil. She looked through the contents. She found what she was looking for before coming over._

_ "Let me see the injury Lytwig." She actually did order me. Shuffling around I managed to get my arm out of the sleeve while leaving my shirt on. I could only imagine the teasing Fastere would lay upon me if my current situation. I could only hope he never found out._

_ "There. Can we get this over with? It's quite cold out here." I asked. It wasn't really that cold as the sun was still going down. Windfola laughed at my embarrassment._

_ "So is that why your face looks like a ripe tomato?" she spoke as she cleaned the stab._

_ "I don't know what you mean." I replied._

_ Soon enough the arm had been cleaned and bandaged. I flexed my fingers and, with slight difficulty, managed to get my arm back through my sleeve. I scooted away as much as possible without the action being noticed._

_ "I'm going to grab some extra wood. It's going to get colder soon and I have no desire to freeze." I used as an excuse to leave. She made a small sound of acknowledgement._

_ Gathering wood was both a physically and mentally painful task. Most of the fallen wood was either wet, prickly, or so bug infested that I wouldn't risk picking it up. I quickly grew frustrated and chose a few bits and pieces before returning. Needless to say, I was not pleased._

_ "Well, if you want you can take my bedroll over there. I don't mind really." I offered. She looked at me oddly before nodding. I turned so my back was facing her with my bow in hand. Being this far out, I wasn't going to be caught off guard. I shuffled a bit to get into a comfortable position. This would be a long and awkward night._

_ Time crawled by as I sat against the tree. More than once I had to gather more wood. I fumbled to my feet. I turned to see if I had awakened Windfola. She stayed asleep. I paused for a moment before taking a step away. I slowly made my way into the forest._

_ I made my way through the woods, bow drawn. I was keeping an eye out for any small game that may be out and about. I nearly jumped out of my skin as an owl hooted. I paused and listened. A skittering in the leaves. I scanned over the foliage in the dim light, eyes straining in the darkness. The small shrub a little ways away shuffled. I smiled and aimed at the animal. I let the arrow fly. A swish of branches as the projectile flew. I heard the squeak of whatever had been skewered on the point. I quickly made my way to the location. I moved the brush aside to reveal the animal. A small rabbit. I raced down and picked it up._

_ As soon as I returned and tended to the fire, which by now needed fueling and even relighting, I began to clean the carcass. The rabbit wasn't big but for two people it would be fine. I set strips of meat to smoke. There were still hours left until dawn's first ray. _

_ The night passed without incident. I extremely grateful. The fire had died down during the night and was now a pile of ash and embers. I had cleaned the rabbits pelt and packed it. Windfola stirred. I glanced up before going back to what I was doing._

_ "Good morning to you." I said. My teeth chattered and my fingers shook. The sun was barely up._

_ "I'm going to assume that we plan to leave at once?" she replied through a yawn, standing and stretching. I nodded. She turned and rerolled the bedroll before bringing it to me. I nodded and packed it as I gave the clearing a quick look over. _

_ "Here. We want to take advantage of the time we have. You can eat as we go. We're riding slowly for right now, not much light to see and all." I said as I handed her a piece of the smoked rabbit. She accepted it. Finally, we mounted and rode out._


	6. Meeting Again

**Chapter 6: Meeting Again**

**I don't own LoTR.**

"Lyt! Lyt, are you deaf?" Fastere asked me. I sputtered an acknowledgement. I turned to look behind me as I nodded. He smirked.

"What? Is there anything you need or are you just being an ass?" I replied.

"Thinking about someone in particular?" he taunted. I could feel my eyes go red. Fastere sped up to catch up with Dan. I rolled my eyes before continuing to look around.

The sun was setting and soon it would be hard to see anything. We had been traveling for a good while. I hoped we would have a small break before continuing. I rubbed Snawfyr's neck as he trotted on. It seemed that those in higher authority shared my feeling of hunger as we soon halted. It wasn't long before food began being prepared. I slid off Snawfyr with a groan. My legs were stiff underneath me from the riding. I took one foot in my hand and stood for a moment, balancing on the other. Repeating the same process with the other, I stood around before something, or someone, caught my eye.

"Windfola! How good to see you again!" I exclaimed as I jogged forward. She looked up and our eyes met and waved a greeting. Our relationship had improved since we met a year and a half ago.

She sat alone next to a fire. I came up and dropped down next to her with a thud and a wince.

"I see you're still as injury prone as you were last we met Lytwig." She said to me.

"Your words, they wound me so!" I quietly exclaimed as I placed both hands over my heart in mock hurt. She laughed at the immaturity I was showing.

"You're very welcome." She replied. We fell into a comfortable silence. The sun was speedily making its way down to hide behind the trees. Before long I stood up. I walked to where Snawfyr stood. Unpacking the bedroll I carried it over to the fire. Windfola had gotten her own and had already set it up. I placed mine on the other side of the fire. It was a nice night, not so cold that we'd be freezing in our beds but not so hot that everyone would abandon the thought of covering up to save themselves from sweating an ocean. As everyone began settling down for the night, I made sure to place my dagger near my hand where it would be easily accessible.

I soon laid down and shifted around to find a comfortable position before letting out a surprised and pained yelp.

"What? Are you okay?" she asked me.

"There's a stone under my bedroll."


	7. The Next Day

**Chapter 7: The Next Day**

**I don't own LoTR.**

After a very uncomfortable rest, I awoke earlier than most. I sighed. So much for the good night's rest I was hoping for. Oh well, no use complaining about it. I quickly packed my gear up and rummaged through my satchel that was attached to the saddle. I managed to find the pouch of apples I had brought. Pulling two out I bit into one and carried the other over to where I had camped. I set it down on a piece on cloth I had laid out on a relatively flat rock.

As I sat down I soon realized that I would have to wait for quite a while before our group of fleeing Rohirrim would awaken and we start on our journey again. To pass the time I pulled out my carving knife and a half done figurine. I began to cut the remaining extra wood away. After a while I had gotten the chunk of wood to a point where it had the shape that semi-resembled a person. I began to add detail, making it look more human. It was supposed to be of a Rohirrim soldier wielding a one handed sword and shield. I had already made half a dozen other figurines that went with it as a set. The others included ones with spears, bows, and two handed swords and one that carried a horn. I would send them to Windfola who would paint them and store them until it was a completed set. The completed sets would be sold to passing merchants and travelers for a varying price. This one was far from completed. Each set had a dozen or so figures in them.

I had gotten the carving set from a soldier that I had encountered. I was ten or so at the time. As I idly carved away the excess wood, I looked back on that memory.

_"Oh, hello there." A man said. He was in his early twenties. He had dark brown hair and friendly blue eyes. On his belt was a two handed sword. He was sitting on a box against the wall of a building. A satchel was slung across his shoulder. It was made of hardened tan leather with a dark brown buckle. He had the start of some facial hair present. A smile covered his face. In his hand was a carving knife and wooden horse figurine._

_ "S-s-sorry sir! I didn't see you there!" I stuttered out. He chuckled._

_ "Don't worry lad. I shouldn't have been sitting there anyways, legs all stuck out where someone could trip and get hurt." He answered, brushing off my apology._

_ "Still, I should've been paying more attention to where I was going." I began to reply only to be cut off._

_ "As a matter of fact, here. You should have this. Consider it an early Christmas gift." The man said as he put away his tools and, after studying the figure for a minute, handed it to me. My mouth metaphorically hit the ground. I couldn't find the words to thank him. He surprised me more as he unslung the satchel and put the strap over my head. My eyes went wide._

_ "I couldn't possibly take your equipment!" I exclaimed in shock. He just smiled and gave a small laugh._

_ "Consider it both a gift and an apology. I have other tools. Merry Christmas!" he said and stood up. With a friendly pat on the shoulder, he walked off. I was silent._

_ "Thank you. Merry Christmas." I replied as he turned a corner. I spun around to make my way home._

I pulled myself out of my mind as I heard a voice. I had been lost in thought for so long that I had both stopped carving and not noticed people beginning to get ready for the day. I spared a glance at Windfola beside me to see her stirring. I put the tools back. I carefully made sure that the figure was placed safely where it wouldn't get damaged. I stood up and stretched my legs. By this time everyone was up and preparing to continue the march. I handed her the second apple for a quick breakfast. Just as I was about to mount Snawfyr I paused. I turned and offered Snawfyr to Windfola as she had no horse to ride. She accepted.

The march started off once more. We walked in silence. I kept my mind from wandering by whistling an old tune. I thought of the small guitar I had at home. There was no use wishing for it now. Ignoring my aching feet, I continued on. At least it's only a few more days' ride from here.


	8. Attacks and Familiar Faces

**Chapter 7: Attacks and Familiar Faces**

**I don't own LoTR.**

The journey has so far been uneventful. Shrubs, rocks, and flattish plains as far as the eye could see began to frustrate me. No matter how far we walked, we never seemed to get anywhere. I ran my hand through my hair once more and rubbed my eyes. I was quite tired having not gotten a very good sleep. One of the few things that I appreciated was the time I got to spend with Windfola. We really didn't see each other often speaking as we lived so far away. Of course, the peaceful walk was never meant to last.

"So, how's it been going back at your village?" I asked, attempting to start conversation. Unfortunately the question asked isn't great for making such conversation and we soon fell back into silence, question unanswered.

Time past and we continued on. It was due to the sheer amount of people traveling to the fortress that we ended up covering only a small amount of land per day. I assumed we would, if staying on our current course, reach Helms Deep in a few days. That is, if trouble didn't reach us. Of course, things never turn out the way they need to be, am I right? Well, fate certainly wasn't on our side. That became clear when shouts arose from in front of us. My head snapped up so fast that I almost thought I heard a crack. Windfola copied my movements. I peered ahead, concerned about Dan and the rest of my family. It was at times like this that I really despised when they, mostly meaning Fastere, would decide it'd be a good idea to ride ahead. Usually I wouldn't care about this slightly annoying habit but these were quite different conditions. When running from thousands of enemies that would like nothing more than to see us all slaughtered, things were quite different.

The fleeing civilians hastened forward towards the fortress. Being nearer to the end, I swung up onto SnawFyr and unslung my bow. Windfola tightened her grip around me as we broke into a gallop. Time flew by. I didn't keep try to keep track of it. To my and many others relief, the fortress soon came into view.

It was not to long until everyone was safely behind the walls. The guards who had stayed had returned in relative safety. Windfola had gone ahead and found a space that we could stay. I made my way through the crowd. Being slightly shorter than most, I had to occasionally jump to see above those around me. I was looking around for Fastere and the others. Weaving around people as I moved about, I strained my eyes to search the sea of faces. Everyone blended together. In my search my line of sight passed over a familiar face. I paused for a moment. Slight dread filled me. A few feet away from me stood Gavin and my father.


	9. Confusing Thoughts

**Confusing Thoughts**

I quickly moved so I would not be in sight. I ran my fingers through my hair and released a breath I had unknowingly been holding. I had escaped the danger of being seen.

"Lytwig!" a loud voice exclaimed. A hand grabbed my shoulder. I jumped and turned. One hand went towards my belt, ready to attack if necessary. It took me a second to realize who I was facing. Gavin. It seems that I didn't escape fast enough. How extremely unfortunate for me.

Gavin hadn't changed much. The most noticeable difference was height. That was to be expected of course. It had been a good three years since I had last seen him. He was 13 now if I remembered correctly. My foot began tapping involuntarily. I was ready to get away from him. Before I could, he grasped my arm and pulled me forward.

"It has been quite lonely since you left brother. Things have changed. Father is just this, hey!" He exclaimed as I jerked my arm away before crossing them across my chest. I wiped all emotion from my face. He looked hurt as I glared at him.

"In case you haven't noticed, _brother_, I left and he disowned me. Legally speaking, the man is not my father. He gave up that title when he told me to leave. You can't say anything as you weren't in the room at the time. Don't call me brother. We aren't family. Deoror made sure of that." I turned to leave but stopped as he quietly replied.

"Then why keep the family name?"

I paused before continuing on. I didn't stop to talk with anyone as I retreated further. Windfola was conversing with my family as I returned. Dan went to greet me but stopped at my expression. I semi sat semi fell down onto a crate. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. The others seemed to get the hint and moved slightly away.

"You okay min Wulf?" Dan asked as he kneeled down, a hand resting on my shoulder. I put my head in my hands and mumbled an inaudible reply. Honestly, I was far from alright. After all, I had just run into my past of which I was trying to escape. I hoped Gavin wouldn't alert Deoror of my current whereabouts. That would be hell. After hearing Dan's question I turned my head and looked at him. My expression was one that said 'take a guess'. He gave a short chuckle.

"Do I _look_ alright to you?" I asked incredulously.

"Fair point. Care to expand on what happened?"

"No."

"Okay then. I won't force you to share what you don't want to. Catch you later." Dan said and began to stand. Before I could think about what I was doing I had grabbed his arm.

"Wait." I breathed out as he turned. He returned to the sitting position he had sat in previously. "I ran into someone. It was Gavin. He acted as if the last three years had never even happened. Some memories surfaced that I don't exactly care to remember." I finished my explanation. I was out of breath. I went back to looking at the ground.

"Maybe you should talk to them. After all, they are related to you." He suggested. I really didn't want to but knew all too well that today wouldn't be the last time Gavin would try to bring me back. He never was one to give up easy.

Dan left me to my thoughts with a pat on the back. I leaned against the cold, hard stone. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back until it lightly touched the wall. A sigh escaped me. I began thinking. Maybe Dan was right. Maybe I should go and reconnect with them. I was confused. Completely and utterly confused. Everything seemed to quieten even though many milled about me. I began to think.


	10. In The Caves

**In the Caves**

_As the battle takes place_

Those in the caves sat huddled together. Some were silent, some were not. Soft sobs came from more then one. Soft chatter was occasionally heard. Sounds of the battle above could be heard. Children sat close to their mothers. The air was filled with fear and grief.

Titith and Windfola sat together. They were silent. Sounds of the fighting was constant. They couldn't block the reminder of the death above. Windfola broke the silence with a quite question, so only they could hear.

"Are you okay?" It was an illogical question to ask. It was obvious she wasn't. Neither of the pair were okay.

Titith shook her head before giving a reply. "Do I _look _okay to you?" she asked before continuing, "My family is up there in the fight. There's a high chance that one of them won't make it home. Fastere is supposed to be married soon. What if he dies? Or Dan? Or Lytwig? I can't lose them… And while their up there, we sit here and do nothing." She ranted.

Windfola was taken aback for a second or two before she replied, "I know. I care for them to."

"I apologize. My emotions got in the way. It was unfair to speak like that."

"Don't bother. I shouldn't have snapped. I'm just… worried."

"That makes two of us then."

"You sound like him."

"Who?"

"Lytwig."

"Oh."

The two females fell silent. There wasn't much to think about. Nothing positive at least. They were mentally preparing themselves for the worst. Hours past. They heard a horn sound, but was it friend or foe? When the final sounds of battle ceased, they allowed themselves to stand and search for three defenders. They quickly made their way over towards where they had seen Dan.

Titith let loose a small sob of anguish at what she saw.

**I don't normally ask this because I find it kind of illogical but, review? What do you think happened that made them react as they did? Let me know… I actually haven't written the next chapter. I may use it in next chapter and all. Uh, yeah. Until next time..**


	11. Fear

**Fear**

I stood, still as a statue, in the falling rain. I could see my breath in front of me. The pouring rain soaked through my clothes. I was freezing. I had to concentrate to keep my teeth from chattering.

I clutched my bow, my nails leaving prints in my palm from where they rested. My quiver held twenty arrows. A short sword was by my side, ready to be unsheathed at a moment's notice. I had leather armor over my clothes. I was straining my eyes, searching for the oncoming enemy. I had been told that the walls had never been breached. I could only hope that this was true. I hoped that we wouldn't end up at close quarters.

We stood in a line, ready to set loose a volley of arrows. Every male considered old enough to fight had been equipped to defend. Fear was painted on the face of many. Only a few people away from me stood a young boy. He couldn't be older then thirteen. He was terrified, shaking where he stood. I forced myself to look away. I felt my eyes tear up. The tears slid down my face, thankfully masked by the rain. You could feel the fear among the ranks. I myself was scared, though if you asked I would not admit so. I was scared, not for myself but for my family inside. Titith and Windfola sat in the caves, waiting for the fighting to end and to learn if any of us made it back alive. I was ripped out of my thoughts as we nocked an arrow.

We waited. My arms shook from the cold. My breathing sped up. Now, now I was scared. I couldn't tell what happened but one of the Uruk Hai fell to the ground, arrow stuck in its neck.

"Fire!"

The echo was repeated. We let our arrows fly. Multiple Uruk Hai fell as they were hit. Not enough. I repeated the motion. I continued. I didn't feel anything as I did. I wasn't sure if I should be worried at that. Others fell around me, struck down by the black arrows. They whistled by. The low visibility and the cold put us at a disadvantage. The man next to me, most likely in his mid-twenties, reached for another arrow. He stood tall, straining to see his target. An arrow planted itself firmly between two ribs. He fell back, coughing up blood. I reached to reload. My hand met air. I cursed. Remembering the man beside me, I quickly slid over. I wouldn't condone taking from the dead but desperate times call for desperate measures. I refilled by quiver, slightly disappointed at the meager half a dozen arrows. I stood up and went to my previous position. As I stood to fire, a shout distracted me. The shot went wide.

"Ladders!" the soldier warned us. Sure enough, multiple ladders had latched themselves on the walls and Uruk Hai were already on their way up. I turned towards the siege equipment. Once. Twice. Three times. I fired until I, unfortunately, ran out. Again. Another curse escaped me. I slung my bow across my back and unsheathed the sword.

One of the Uruk Hai stood in front of me. It was tall and well armored. A twinge of fear ran through me as its blade was revealed. The sharp edge wouldn't be stopped by the pitiful leather armor I wore. I took a small step back. It followed. A small frightened squeak from behind warned me of another defender. I spared a quick glance to recognize who it was. It was the younger boy I had seen earlier. He seemed frozen in fear. I shouted a warning over the sounds of battle, urging him to run. They fell on deaf ears. I looked behind him. Another enemy was charging. I moved forward, hoping to intercept the brute. I cried out. The kid turned as the weapon swung down. It hit its target. He crumpled to the floor like a puppet whose strings were cut. His head was crushed from the force of the hit. I could barely keep myself from heaving as the scene unfolded. With its target dead, it locked eyes with me. Perfect. I was surrounded. I let out a curse that I was pleased no one could hear. A loud battle cry sounded. The first Uruk Hai charged. The second followed soon after. I raised my sword.

The first met me as we clashed. The hit was quite powerful as it sent me staggering. I nearly fell but caught myself on a wooden crate. I quickly looked around, hoping that there'd be an escape route. There wasn't. My two opponents closed in on me. My sword nearly fell to the ground as I leaned back against the wall. I took a deep breath and threw myself away from the edge as a sword swung where my head was seconds before. The stone chipped a small amount as the weapon struck. I rolled out of the way and came up in a crouch. As the first came forward, I wished I was in possession of a spear instead of a sword. I stood, knees slightly bent and sword held in one hand, facing the first. I retreated, hoping to get some distance to think of a plan. Of course, there was the second.

I spun around with a wild swipe. I felt slight resistance as I turned. I hit the enemy if the enraged growl was anything to go by. Now that I was facing the second, I was in the perfect position to attack. The slight lowering of the blade was enough for me to be able to strike out. I landed a second hit. It was the killing blow. I wasn't sure how I should feel about the slightly disturbing smile that slowly crept onto my face. I tugged my sword out of the now dead body and turned to meet the first.

It was far from pleased if the angered expression was anything to go by. I winced as it charged at me. I flexed my fingers and once more stood in a defensive position. Just like before, we met with powerful blows. The loud clang of steel on steel was drowned out by the shouts and screams and blows from around us. I tuned it out, instead focusing on how I would defeat the rather threatening thing in front of me. I ducked out of the way. The blade nicked my arm. I gritted my teeth. I took a quick swing at its arm. Unsurprisingly, though it hit, no damage was done. I was forced to go on the defensive. I took a second to wipe away the sweat that had formed as well as catch my breath. Not the best of ideas as I would soon come to realize. Ouch. My guard had lowered, allowing a perfect opportunity to strike. I, embarrassingly enough, will admit that I froze. The blade swung down. It stopped as another blocked it.

I turned my head and internally winced. Of course my savior would have to be Glorthor. I immediately wished the Uruk Hai had been faster. At least I'd be less humiliated. He ignored me and took the chance to decapitate my attacker. He turned towards me and held out his hand. He grasped mine and pulled me to my feet.

"Thank me later. For now, stick close. Can't have you going and getting yourself skewered. You have a lady friend to get back to don't you." He nudged me with a suggestive smirk. I could feel my face burn. "If there's one thing I fear, it's an enraged woman. They can be downright terrifying."

I grimaced at the thought. What he said wasn't wrong. I nodded. He turned back to charge. I looked over the edge and blinked. A bomber. As if things couldn't get worse. It dove. My last thought that came to me made me chuckle.

_'It seems the wall is breached…'_


	12. Left

**Chapter 12: Left**

**AN: Yeah, super long wait for a short and not-so-great chappie. Sorry...**

_3rd person POV_

Windfola searched through the crowd of injured soldiers. She strained to try and find Lytwig. Where was he? She turned and almost collided with a tall soldier. His armour was dusty and wet. She looked up to apologize.

"Excuse me ma'am. Do you know where I can find Windfola?"

"Yes, she's right here."

"Good. I was looking for you," he paused for a moment before looking down before continueing, "I needed to give this to you.". He reached down and pulled something out of his pocket. He put it in her hand, closing it into his fist. He looked at her, "I'm sorry."

She looked down at what he had given her. Her heart nearly stop. She felt it jump into her mouth (metaphorically speaking). She twisted the object. In her hand was a necklace. The words engraved on it were what caused her reaction.

_Min Leof Mund._

**End**


End file.
